Search smh:

Search in:

Leveson to unveil media standards report

Ellen Branagh & James Tapsfield

Lord Justice Leveson's long-awaited report into press standards is to be published on Thursday amid fears its recommendations could throw the British government into turmoil.

The 2000-page document is due to be unveiled at 2330 (AEDT) with the judge widely expected to suggest a new newspaper regulator underpinned by law.

British Prime Minister David Cameron set up the Leveson Inquiry in July last year in response to revelations that the News of the World commissioned a private detective to hack murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone after she disappeared in 2002.

The probe, set to cost about STG6 million ($A9.23 million) overall, heard months of dramatic evidence from celebrities, media figures, politicians and the police.

Advertisement

Cameron on Wednesday pledged to seek cross-party consensus on a new regulatory system but faces an uphill struggle to overcome deep divisions in the coalition and among his own MPs.

Cameron is due to respond to the report in the House of Commons on Thursday but the Liberal Democrats have already suggested deputy prime minister Nick Clegg could make a separate statement.

Clegg is reportedly ready to support the rapid creation of a regulator with statutory underpinning, a move that would be opposed by many Tories, and Cameron is thought to be resisting.

The pair have been poring over the report trying to agree a joint approach since half-a-dozen advance copies were delivered to Downing Street on Wednesday morning.

Asked about press regulation as he took questions in the Commons, Cameron said: "This government set up Leveson because of unacceptable practices in parts of the media and because of a failed regulatory system.

"I think we should try and work across party lines on this issue, it is right to meet with other party leaders about this issue and I will do so.

"What matters most I believe is that we end up with an independent regulatory system that can deliver and in which the public have confidence."

He added: "One of the key things that the Leveson Inquiry is trying to get to the bottom of is how can you have a strong, independent regulatory system so you don't have to wait for the wheels of the criminal justice system or the libel system to work.

"People should be able to rely on a good regulatory system as well to get the sort of redress they want, whether that is prominent apologies or fines for newspapers or the other things that are clearly so necessary."

The Spectator, the country's oldest political magazine, insisted it would refuse to join any regulatory system enforced by the government, while News International's chief executive Tom Mockridge backed calls for a "tough" new press watchdog but warned that state-backed regulation would put too much power in politicians' hands.

A poll last found majority public support for statutory regulation, with 51 per cent in favour, 20 per cent opposed and 29 per cent unsure.

The ComRes survey for ITV's News At Ten, which interviewed 2038 adults online from November 23-25, found 48 per cent believed the current system was insufficiently tough while 28 per cent thought it about right.